by Matthew Holloway | Nov 20, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Republican volunteers at the Whiteriver Polling Center in Navajo County contacted AZ Free News with a startling eyewitness account of multiple violations of Arizona election statutes constituting electioneering at the polling location by Navajo County Democrats. They described the scene as “a veritable circus atmosphere … all orchestrated by Democrats.”
In an interview with AZ Free News, a source within the Navajo County Republican Party, speaking on condition of anonymity, prefaced what they witnessed by stressing that they are no stranger to election work. The source stated that 2024 was their sixth election as a poll worker and their third at the polling place in Whiteriver on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. In addition to the allegations of electioneering, they emphasized that an ongoing issue in Navajo County has been a lack of poll workers and an apparent unwillingness to address the problem from the Board of Supervisors and the County Manager.
The source explained that during the primary, “Our election integrity network here in Navajo County have been addressing the board of supervisors with election challenges. Why is there nobody in the tabulating room from each major party like it says in the statute? You know, it’s required, but yet they don’t have that. They have two Democrats and an Independent, when it’s supposed to clearly, in the statute code and law, it says you have to have one person from each party in the tabulation room when you adjudicate a ballot, but they’re not.”
According to ARS 16-531(A), “There shall be an equal number of inspectors in the various precincts in the county who are members of the two largest political parties. In each precinct where the inspector is a member of one of the two largest political parties, the marshal in that precinct shall be a member of the other of the two largest political parties.”
The source noted that these issues also occurred during the primary, “We have it on tape. We’ve got screenshots of them.” They added, “They don’t seem to correct it, and it happens again in this general election.”
The allegations of electioneering at the polling place included Democrats reportedly handing out palm-sized “golden ticket” voting guides to voters as they approached the polling location, resulting in a Marshall having to escort them beyond the statutory line.
According to the source, it was “a veritable carnival atmosphere out there across the day, including a ‘DJ’s for Democrat’ guy blasting music from a speaker stashed in the trunk of his car, a grill cooking food for anyone interested in partaking, plus T-shirts, baggies full of candy, etc. being handed out with the palm card listing which Democrat candidates to vote for on one side, and how to vote on propositions on the other side (the card told voters that they should vote ‘yes’ on proposition 139, and ‘no’ on all other propositions).”
The inducement of free food and merchandise potentially runs afoul of Arizona election laws at several points including A.R.S. 16-1005(C), which states, “It is unlawful to receive or agree to receive any consideration in exchange for a voted or unvoted ballot. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a class 5 felony,” and A.R.S. 16-1006(A) which states, “It is unlawful for a person knowingly by force, threats, menaces, bribery or any corrupt means, either directly or indirectly: 1. To attempt to influence an elector in casting his vote or to deter him from casting his vote.” The law makes this type of interference a class five felony as well.
The source’s account also aligns with a previous report from AZ Free News of the “Free Meal, Warm Socks, Voter Info,” event conducted by the Northeast Arizona Native Democrats in Sawmill, AZ.
Another example the source gave centered around campaign merchandise being handed out at the polling place. They told AZ Free News that at one of the Navajo County polling sites for the Nov. 5th General Election “County recorder, Mike Sample, the Democrat candidate…they had pens of his in the polling place. How? If that’s not electioneering, I don’t know what is.”
“That was given to them to use to vote. I mean, talk about blatant and flagrant. They were giving the pens from Mike Sample to the voters to use to fill out their ballot. And he was a candidate for Navajo County Recorder.“
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 19, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs promised a “major announcement,” leading up to a Monday press conference at the Port of Nogales on the state’s southern border with Mexico. And indeed, the border press event did highlight “Task Force SAFE,” a joint military-U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation deploying Arizona National Guardsmen to aid in intercepting drug smuggling. However, Hobbs also told reporters that Phoenix would not tolerate what she called Trump’s “misguided policies,” namely his promise of mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
As reported by 12News, Hobbs told reporters, “I will work with the administration when it benefits Arizonans and if I need to stand up to them because their actions will harm Arizonans, I will do that.”
She continued targeting Trump’s deportation vow, specifically saying, “We don’t know what a mass deportation plan will look like, what resources will be involved. I’m here to protect Arizonans, and I will do that.”
When asked if she would allow state law enforcement to participate in any mass-deportation action, Hobbs told ABC News, “We will not be participating in misguided efforts that harm our communities. And I’ve been incredibly clear about that.”
Hobbs added, “Those efforts are going to divert needed resources that we need here on these drug interdiction, and smuggling and trafficking efforts to keep harm out of our communities. We need those resources here. And coming here today and seeing this operation firsthand just underscores that. That working in partnership here is how we can best secure the border.”
When asked what worries her about mass deportation, Hobbs told ABC, “I think the diversion of law enforcement from the work that they do everyday to keep our communities safe, people hiding in fear, we saw that under previous state policies here and it harms communities. It tears families apart. And that’s not going to happen on my watch.”
Despite reports that Hobbs is seeking to clothe herself in the garb of a moderate, noting her refusal to join the “Governors Safeguarding Democracy” (GSD) with fellow Democrat governors J.B. Pritzker (Illinois) and Jared Polis (Colorado), Hobbs recently described the legislature she has to work with as “run by literal insurrectionists and indicted fake electors,” who send her “garbage,” prompting a record shattering 216 vetoes.
According to AZCentral, Hobbs replied to calls to join the GSD saying, “I don’t think that’s the most productive way to govern Arizona. As governor, I have and will continue to stand up against actions that hurt our communities. But I will work with anyone who is doing what is right for Arizona.” Some have taken that as an indication of her willingness to work with the incoming Trump administration and the now-overwhelmingly Republican-controlled Congress.
Hobbs’ commentary from Nogales would seem to put Arizona Democrats’ concerns of the governor potentially moderating her stance against the core policies of the GOP to rest. But should 2024 electoral trends carry through to 2026, it could foreclose on the possibility of her re-election.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 19, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman-elect Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-8) released a new video via X in which he memorialized his victory against Democrat Greg Whitten in the November General Election.
In the video posted to X, Hamedeh told his supporters, “I’m ready to go to Washington, D.C. to fight. Fight with everything I’ve got for every single one of you here and everybody in this district and all across Arizona. Because despite the many problems we face, I still believe in America, because I believe in all of you. We took on so many powerful people in this race. And it showed us that the American people are stronger than the money that they have. And that’s what this victory is about. It’s a victory about all of you. It’s a victory for ‘We the people.’”
Hamadeh added, “I love you Arizona. I love my country, and I love you. And that’s why I’m with you now and forever. Thank you, Arizona. God bless you. God bless the United States. And let’s keep winning.”
As reported by the Arizona Daily Independent, Hamadeh pledged to “deliver real results, protect our freedoms, and restore America’s greatness.” He added, “This is a victory for every Arizonan who’s fed up with open borders, skyrocketing prices, and a political class that has sold our country out to the highest bidder. Arizona deserves a fighter who will go to Washington, drain the swamp, and actually put America First—and that’s exactly what I’m here to do.”
He remarked that his campaign “was a true grassroots movement fueled by Americans who believe our best days are still ahead.”
“After four years of Joe Biden in the White House and radicals trying to tear this country apart, we need strong, fearless leaders who will fight for the America we know and love. I am honored to be that fighter for Arizona’s 8th District,” Hamadeh said. “This isn’t just about policy; it’s about the courage to fight for the values that have made America the greatest country in the world.”
He told the outlet that his first priorities when he takes office are to deliver on his promises to “secure the border, bring down inflation, protect seniors and stand strong for America’s military and law enforcement.”
In a statement to AZ Free News Hamadeh said, “From day one of my campaign, I made a promise to Arizonans: to bring bold, courageous leadership to the table. As I set out to represent Arizona’s 8th District in Washington, my mission is clear—I will never stop fighting for my constituents, for future generations, and for the revitalization of the United States of America. Together, we will restore the strength and spirit of this great nation.”
In the Sunday post to X, Hamadeh wrote, “Arizona… I am with you, now and forever. Let’s roll.”
In the most up-to-date results from Arizona.vote, Hamadeh handily defeated Whitten by a thirteen-point margin or approximately 47,925 votes. That’s around the combined populations of Sun City West and New River, two of his smaller constituent cities.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 16, 2024 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The massive microchip manufacturing firm, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), finds itself facing a class-action lawsuit brought by over a dozen of its current and former employees. TSMC was brought into Arizona through the Biden administration’s CHIPS Act.
The charge presented is a potentially devastating one: that TSMC is engaging in “anti-American” hiring and workplace bias and is discriminating against American workers while favoring Taiwanese nationals imported on work visas. For a firm that is now deeply tied to the political fortunes of the outgoing Democratic administration, and the now-minority party in Congress, the allegations are stunning.
The lawsuit makes the claim that TSMC employs over 2,668 workers in its North American operations and that the vast majority of them are Asian, stating, “This grossly disproportionate workforce is the result of TSMC’s intentional pattern and practice of employment discrimination against individuals who are not Asian and not Taiwanese citizens, including discrimination in hiring, staffing, and termination decisions.”
In the text of the suit, attorneys representing the workers note, “TSMC’s bias in favor of Asians and Taiwanese citizens was even apparent when it was hiring construction workers to build its first Arizona fab (via TSMC affiliates United Integrated Services (UIS) and Marketech International Corp.). TSMC chairman Mark Liu complained of “an insufficient amount of skilled workers” to build the facility and planned to fly workers in from Taiwan. TSMC agreed to focus on local hiring for those positions only after massive and public outcry from Arizona labor unions.”
The incident referenced was covered by AZ Free News in July 2023 when Liu made the complaint coinciding with President Joe Biden’s first visit to Arizona to tour the facility. Biden told reporters at the time that he “owes an awful lot” to TSMC with Corrinne Murdock observing that founder Morris Chang’s wife worked on his first Senate campaign.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego also reportedly holds ties to TSMC with a former senior policy advisor and campaign donor, Laura Franco French, serving as TSMC’s director of state government relation. French took the role directly following her tenure with Gallego’s office.
At the time, Liu told reporters, “We are encountering certain challenges, as there is an insufficient amount of skilled workers with the specialized expertise required for equipment installation in a semiconductor-grade facility.”
“While we are working to improve the situation, including sending experienced technicians from Taiwan to train the local skilled workers for a short period of time, we expect the production schedule of N4 process technology to be pushed out to 2025.”
The suit notes that TSMC applied for and received a $6.6 billion grant from the Federal Government via the CHIPS Act predicated on a diverse hiring policy and claims the firm “willfully disregarded diversity commitments TSMC made in the CHIPS Act,” adding that approximately half of TSMC’s Arizona work force of 2,200 people are Taiwan nationals on work visas.
Daniel Kotchen, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, told AZFamily, “If you are receiving federal funding to create jobs in the U.S., it is your responsibility to live up to the rules and laws under the U.S.”
Deborah Howington, a current talent acquisition executive at TSMC, was the first plaintiff claimed to have witnessed the culture of illegal, discriminatory practices that favored Taiwanese candidates and employees first-hand. As reported by Forbes, Howington alleges in the suit that TSMC specifically sought candidates from Taiwan for jobs in the U.S. and confidentially employed an “Asian headhunter,” to attract these recruits.
A company spokesperson responding to questions on the lawsuit told Forbes, “TSMC believes strongly in the value of a diverse workforce and we hire and promote without regard to gender, religion, race, nationality, or political affiliation because we respect differences, and believe that equal employment opportunities strengthen our competitiveness.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 15, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen has chosen to recuse himself from the alternate electors case after reports revealed a series of emails he sent to his colleagues that openly defended Vice President Kamala Harris and urged other jurists to do likewise.
As previously reported by AZ Free News, the controversy that preceded Cohen’s recusal centered around a series of emails in which he demanded that his fellow judges and commissioners stand in defense of then-Democratic Presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. The Judge offered these emails in response to criticisms levied against Harris that she was a “DEI Hire.” Cohen particularly characterized the issue in racial and gender-based terms calling upon white men in particular to defend Harris, along with any colleagues who identified as “person(s) of color.”
Cohen wrote in part, “It does matter if your chromosomes are made up of ‘XY.’ It matters even more if your skin color is characterized as ‘white’ or Caucasian. We must speak out. We must tell those within our circles of influence that this s**t must stop. NOW! We cannot allow our female colleagues to feel as if they stand alone when there are those who may intimate that their ascension was anything other than based upon exceptionalism. We cannot allow our colleagues who identify as being a ‘person of color’ to stand alone when there are those may claim that their ascension was an ‘equity hire’ rather than based solely upon exceptionalism. We no longer can stay silent merely because others are exercising their right to free speech — we, too, have that same right and must exercise it.”
Attorneys representing Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman, a defendant alongside several other prominent Republican figures facing charges for their participation in an alternate slate of Electoral College votes during the 2020 Presidential Election, told the Associated Press that Judge Cohen “bears a deep-seated personal political bias that overcame his professional judgment.”
Arizona attorney Mark L. Williams, who represents former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, told the AP, “Given the statements the judge made, I think it’s appropriate that he recuse himself.”
He added, “The way I see it, the case against Mr. Giuliani and the other defendants is falling apart and I think the attorney general should just wind down the case and dismiss it.”
Michael Colombo of Dhillon law group, writing on Hoffman’s behalf in a motion for recusal, explained, “The utter contempt Judge Cohen displayed against President Trump in his Aug. 29 email makes it clear that Senator Hoffman — who is on trial for exercising his First Amendment rights as a supporter of President Trump — cannot receive a fair trial before Judge Cohen.”
Columbo also took aim at Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes writing, “While Judge Cohen is entitled to his political opinions and speech, his rhetoric and exhortation precisely mirrors the evidence of hostile partisan political zealotry at the heart of the motions to dismiss that have been languishing before the Court for months. In short, the evidence before the Court of the Attorney General’s unlawful retaliation against Defendants includes her demonization of Republicans as well as her Chief Deputy comparing Republicans to Nazis and the Defendants in this case to Vladimir Putin.”
He added, “Even if Judge Cohen can somehow separate his apparent detestation of President Trump from his adjudication of a case that centers around defendants’ political activity in support of President Trump, the appearance of impropriety is a stain on this case that cannot be removed.”
Cohen, scheduled to retire in January, defended his actions in the text of his order, and even doubled down claiming, “This judicial officer expressed in an email support for the exceptionalism of the judicial officers of Maricopa County and was a stand for decency and respect. What was contained in the email is not reflective of bias.”
Per Courthouse News, all scheduled hearings are now vacated and the case is on hold pending the assignment of a new judge.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
